Ellison, an oracle for clean living on Lanai?

Larry Ellison, the new owner of most of the island of Lāna‘i, may not have decided to go through with improvements to its commercial harbor so that his America’s Cup team could do some winter training (also known as “avoiding the whales”) there, but he does have some other ideas on what to do with his newest possession, according to today’s AP story.

Based on his remarks in a CNBC interview at Oracle OpenWorld, Ellison sees the 141-square-mile island as a “laboratory for experimenting with more environmentally sound ways of living,” per AP, and “hopes to convert sea water into fresh water” — a currently limited commodity. “He also wants more electric cars on the island” — where most roads require four-wheel-drive, visitors rent pricey Jeeps and locals tend to prefer big pickups — and “hopes to increase its fruit exports to Japan and other markets.”

Of course, judging by the limited selection in Lāna‘i City’s few stores, health issues of residents and the cheaper groceries seen in the Costco bags that residents carry over on the ferry from Maui, improving the domestic supply wouldn’t be such a bad thing either. (Ellison has already made some residents happier — and potentially healthier — by reopening the community swimming pool.)

The last owner of 98 percent of the island, Castle & Cooke CEO David Murdock, developed the 1.2 megawatt-generating Lā Ola solar energy farm, which is said to provide 10 percent of the former Pineapple Isle’s needs. But he ran into opposition in recent years with a proposed wind energy system that would send all or most of the power generated to more populous O‘ahu.

What do you think of Ellison’s plans for eco-experimentation? Share your suggestions for green living on Lāna‘i (or other thoughts) below.